Baseball fan Roberts heads to College WS

Published 5:09 pm, Thursday, June 12, 2014

Plainview resident Ron Roberts is an avid baseball fan and will get the chance to go to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb.

Plainview resident Ron Roberts is an avid baseball fan and will get the chance to go to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb.

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Baseball fan Roberts heads to College WS

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Something Ron Roberts said to his grown children some years ago has resulted in the Plainview resident getting to fulfill a dream and going to watch the 2014 College World Series in Omaha, Neb. The fun will be enhanced by the fact that the Texas Tech baseball team will be playing in their first-ever CWS.

Roberts is an avid baseball fan who has loved the game for a long time.

“I played ever since I could walk,” Roberts said. “I love baseball. I coached baseball for years here in Plainview — Little League and Babe Ruth and high school. I love baseball.”

Several years ago Roberts was expressing his love for the game to his children.

“I always watch the College World Series,” Roberts said. “About four or five years ago I told my kids, before I died I’d like to go to the College World Series.”

So, imagine Roberts’ surprise when one of his presents last Christmas was an envelope that stated that he would be going to the College World Series. His son-in-law, Chris Casto of Sweetwater, had ordered the tickets before Christmas.

Roberts said the tickets were ordered long before the field had been set.

“This is the first time Tech’s ever been there,” Roberts said. “A few months ago I told Chris wouldn’t it be great if Tech accidentally got in. And here it is. Hopefully, we’ll get to see them.”

Casto and his wife, Roberts’ daughter Tonya Casto, and their children, Roberts’ grandchildren Kristen and Ty Casto, will drive from Sweetwater to Plainview before the trip to Omaha. The quartet, along with Roberts and his wife of 47 years, Melveta Roberts, will then leave for Omaha Saturday morning.

Roberts said the tickets for the CWS are for games next week beginning Monday. But he’s hoping to find tickets in Omaha for Sunday’s 2 p.m. game between Texas Tech and TCU.

“I think we’ll probably be able to round up a couple of tickets Sunday to get there,” Roberts said.